Golf club supporting device



March 22, 1949. G. J. HUNT 2,465,096

GOLF CLUB SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed Sept. 6, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March22, 1949. G. J. HUNT 2,465,096

GOLF CLUB SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed Sept. 6, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 llliEIIIIIII Ell Ill- EIHIIII ZIHIIII lllIIl EIHIIII EJIIHIIIIEJ N 6745687Ja /v Hun/7' IEIIIII.

' -EIIIIIIIEII Patented Mar. 22, 1949 Uhli'iED STATES FATQENT GOLF ,CLUBSUPPORTING DEVICE Gilbert John Hunt, Richmond, Va.

Application September 6, 1946, Serial No. 695,105

(Cl. ISO-1.5)

2 Claims. 1 This invention relates to supporting devices, and-moreparticularly to such devices as are used in connection with golfequipment, and especially the shaft like golf clubs used in the usualgolf game.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of means forassembling a plurality of A further object of this invention is theprovision of means for carrying a number of golf clubs in a balancedmanner.

A still further object is the provision of means for assembling clubs inan orderly manner, in a holder, so that each club will be in full viewof the player, and may be removed for use from such holding apparatuswithout resorting to excessive lifting; such as now practiced by aplayer when a club has to be removed from the usual golf bag.

Other objects and,features will more fully ap-- pear from the followingdescription and accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. l is a frontelevational view of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side view thereof; Fig. 3is a longitudinal sectional View taken aicng line of Fig. 1, looking indirection of the arrows; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the support orholder having parts removed therefrom; Fig. 5 is a perspective view ofone of the spring clips or looking members; Fig. 6 is a perspective viewof a brace; Fig. '7 is a front side elevational view of the rack orholder illustrating the manner in which the clubs are carried inbalanced position; Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing thesubstitution of a club for the brace; Fig. 9 is a front elevationalfront view of a modification of the holder, and Fig. 10 is alongitudinal sectional top plan view taken along line lfll0 of Fig. 9looking in the direction of the arrows.

It is to be understood that this invention is not to be limited as tothe number of shafts or clubs carried in the supporting means, nor is itintended to be restricted to the use of golf clubs; but may be appliedto any shaft-like article desired to be supported in an uprightposition.

Referring to the drawings a holder or supporting rack l, is preferablyrectangular in shape and is formed by a top elongate bar member .2 .andbottom elongate bar member 3; which are joined together by a bar 4 and atube or container 5. A handle grip 6 is secured to said bar; while thetube has respectively connected thereto, in pivotal fashion, a cover 1and base ,8. The cover and base are respectively secured to the tube bylatches 9. It is obvious from the foregoing that .the tube with itscover and base form a container or compartment into which golf balls '56and tees il may be housed and thus made easily accessible to the golfplayer. A shoulder strap 12 may be attached or latched to the tube sothat the holder and clubs may be carried by the player by placin thestrap upon his shoulder. Of course, when the strap is not used it isdisconnected from the rack and the latter carried by the handle made andprovided therefor.

The top of the rack has formed therein a plurality of angular stops ordetents it; while the bottom member has therein a plurality of similarangular detents l4. Respectively secured to the top and bottom members,and extending over each detent, is a spring l5 which is bent inwardlyand upon itself to form a lip it that terminates in angular fashion oversaid detent. For each detent in the top member there is a companion .01corresponding detent in the bottom member,

and the bottom member detents are so spaced as to cause golf clubs ll,disposed therein, to spread or fan out at their basal portions, asclearly disclosed in Fig, 1. The clubs are racked or inserted in theholder by passing the shafts of the clubs under lips of the springs andinto the detents, and the angular portions at the end of the lips areforced against the shafts by the springs, and thus the clubs are firmlyheld in the angular detents.

A hinge i3 is secured to the rear portion of the top member; which hingehas secured thereto, in pivotal fashion, a brace l9. Pivotally mountedupon the hinge is a bracket 20 adapted to accommodate a golf club whenthe brace is not being used, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 8.

Referring to the modification (Figs. 9-10) the device is constructedsimilar to that hereinbefore specified, except that only a portion ofeach of the top and bottom members is provided with detents, and springs2l2| are respectively secured to the top and bottom members toaccommodate two clubs. The flat portion of the top and bottom membershas springs 22-22 respectively connected thereto so that a club may beforced into their lips and held firmly therein. Springs 2323 are similarto springs 2 I2l and are adapted to hold two clubs against a fiatsurface; all of the foregoing modifications being clearly illustrated inFigs. 9 and 10.

It is obvious from the foregoing that when the clubs are secured in theholder their ends rest upon the ground and are supported by said holderin an upright fashion; while the prop or brace or club is disposed inangular fashion to said holder and clubs and the assembly is thus heldin upright position. When the prop or brace is used it may be insertedin the ground to more securely maintain the upright position of theassembly. By grasping the handle of the holder the clubs may be carriedthereon in a substantial horizontal manner; with respect to the earth,and by placing the rack a certain distance from the heads of the clubs,a substantial balance may be obtained with respect to the players handand holder. The strap may be used over the shoulder of a player forcarrying the holder and clubs in this manner, and if it is not desired,then, of course, the same may be disconnected, and the handle used.

It can now be readily understood that I have produced a rectangular orgenerally oblong holder having a plurality of pairs of companion holdingmeans for golf clubs or the like on one side of the holder. Theseholding means are arranged transversely of the holder and serve todetachably support elongate articles, such as golf clubs, in an uprightposition preferably with the ends of the golf club handles, or at leastsome of them, resting on the ground of a golf links when in use. Eachindividual holding means is preferably structurally like its companion.Each one of a pair of holding means is arranged in spaced relation toits companion in axial alignment with it. The axial lines defined byeach pair are divergent downwardly whereby the golf clubs in combinationwith the prop are adapted to maintain the holder in an upright positionfor the convenience of the player in selecting and replacing clubs, etc.It is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description of theholding means is not intended to restrict this invention, and so long asequivalent means are utilized with the device, then such may beapplicable.

It has now become apparent that the foregoing invention provides alight, durable and simple article for the golf player, and far superiorto the bulky, heavy and cumbersome bag type golf club holder. Ashereinbefore mentioned, the assembled device completely eliminatesstooping over to pick up the clubs or golf bag; and also eliminates thenecessity of the player having to draw the club from a golf bag. Theseoperations require a considerable unnecessary and non-com- 4 pensatingexertion on the part of the player, and may even defeat the playersambition to make an excellent score.

Having described this claimed is:

1. In golf clubs supporting device, said device comprising a generallyelongate rectangular holder, said holder having a plurality of spacedcompanion pairs of holding means on one side thereof, each pair ofcompanion holding means being in substantial axial alignment andarranged transversely of said holder, each holding means beingstructurally like its companion means and being in spaced relation fromits companion holding means, whereby each companion pair of holdingmeans is adapted to detachably support a golf club on one side of theholder, the clubs on both sides of the transverse center line divergingin opposite directions toward the ends of the said side, in combinationwith an elongate bracing member articulately connected to the oppositeside of said holder substantially centrally thereof, the free end ofsaid bracing member extending transversely from said holder at an acuteangle thereto, the said member being of a length to reach a supportingsurface whereby said holder may be maintained in an upright position bythe projecting ends of the golf clubs cooperating with said bracingmember.

2. In golf clubs supporting device, said device comprising a generallyelongate holder provided with a plurality of holding means connected toone side thereof; said holding means being in spaced relation to eachother and respectively adapted to detachably support golf clubs; thegreater portion of said golf clubs depending downwardly to a supportingbase; in combination with an elongatebrace articulately connected to theother side of said holder substantially centrally thereof, the free endof said brace extending downwardly from said holder at an acute anglethereto, the said brace being of a length to reach said base, wherebysaid holder may be maintained in an upright position by the projectingends of said golf clubs cooperating with said brace.

invention, what is GILBERT JOHN HUNT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 424,041 Ward Mar. 25, 1890 D.19,907 Morse June 17, 1890 1,108,061 Arnold Aug. 18, 1914 1,408,876 FreyMar. 7, 1922 1,418,093 Parmater May 30, 1922 1,621,329 Malone Mar. 15,1927 1,699,048 Connor Jan. 15, 1929 2,024,484 Smith Dec. 17, 19352,336,422 Ratclifi Dec. 7, 1943 2,367,234 Mitchell Jan. 16, 19452,408,777 Holbrook Oct. 8, 1946 2,415,314 Todd Feb. 4, 1947

